Joop F.M. Smit, «Epideictic Rhetoric in Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 1–4», Vol. 84 (2003) 183-201
In the discussion as to whether Paul uses Classical rhetoric First Corinthians 1–4 plays a key-role. In this article an overview is given of the main characteristics of the epideictic genre and in the light of this it is argued that in 1 Cor 1–4 Paul presents the four types of this genre: a paradoxical encomium in 1,18-31; an honorable encomium in 2,6-16; an ambivalent encomium in 3,5-23 and a dishonorable encomium in 4,6-13. In this manner he gives a deliberate proof of his rhetorical ability so as to restore his image, damaged by the impressive performance of Apollos who visited the city after him and apparently took the prize. So, after all, there seems to be Classical rhetoric in Paul.
qualities of a certain person. The appropriate place for this genre is the theatre. In contradistinction to the two first-mentioned genres, in which the hearers fulfil the role of judges, in the epideictic genre they are spectators, to whom the speaker displays his ability12. The epideictic genre primarily deals with the qualification or disqualification of human beings but, on the analogy of this, it may be applied also to deities, cities, animals, plants and abstract themes such as love and wisdom13.
An important characteristic of epideictic rhetoric is a style with a very high degree of stylistic ornamentation (ko/smoj; ornatus)14. Conspicuous figures of style are frequently applied. In this respect the so-called Gorgian figures play a leading part15. These are stylistic devices which have been borrowed from poetry and which easily lend an artistic or artificial flavor to a speech. To these figures belong especially parallelism of parts of sentences or complete sentences (i)so/kwlon, pari/swsij), antithesis as to form as well as to content (a)nti/qesij), correspondences in sound between words leading to assonance and alliteration (paronomasi/a), and rhyme (o(moiote/leuton).
The handbooks point out stereotypical sources (to/poi) where the rhetor can find material to honor or to blame a certain person16. At this point they always distinguish between external circumstances, physical attributes and personal qualities of character. Under external circumstances come descent (eu)ge/neia), education (paidei/a), wealth (plou=toj), kinds of power (duna/meij), titles to fame (eu)doci/a, timh/), place of origin such as fatherland (patri/j), native city (po/lij), people (e!qnoj), citizenship (politei/a) and finally friendships (fi/loi). To the